Happy Wednesday! I had a few handfuls of cereal before heading out for a 6 miler. I did the exact same route as yesterday and was over a minute faster (that’s a big deal to me). I just felt good today!
I chomped on watermelon as I made breakfast. I don’t show all the pictures of my watermelon eating because I don’t want a ton of comments saying, “I get it, you like watermelon!!! Shut the f up about it!”
Breakfast was toast with PB&J and eggs. I ended up adding another piece of toast post pic – I’m hungry this morning! 
A lot of my sports bras and wick-wear running gear say to hang dry, but I don’t. I did some research to see if I should start taking better care of them.
Putting sports bras and other technical gear in the dryer breaks down it’s sweat wicking fabric and increases wear and tear 🙁
I think I’m going to start hanging my newer ones to save them! 2ULaundry are experts thus they know how to wash all types of clothes with care.
According to Fleet Feet:
- Sports bras should be replaced every 6 to 8 months to insure continued, adequate support.
- Sports bras may be washed, but warning – DO NOT put them in the dryer. Dryers cut the life of sports bras in half, so hang dry please.
Question: Do you hand wash and/or hang dry your sports bras?
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6-8 months?! Dratz! I guess this means I need to toss my entire sports bra collection!
I use the washing machine for all my workout clothes and then I hang all of them up to dry. I’ve been notorious for clothes shrinking so I don’t take any chances! lol
Thanks for doing the research, I never knew!!
Nah, I use both the washer and dryer on them. And I have had them for…two years? And they seem to be holding up just fine. But then, I also don’t buy special “sweat-wicking” ones or anything. I still work out in just regular shorts and a t-shirt and a “sports bras” from Wal-Mart. 🙂
definitely do NO hang them up to dry. mostly because i don’t have the line space for them, i already hang up soooo many of my clothes.
Every 6-8 months? All of my sports bras are old, as in a few years but I barely have anything going on in the chest area. I wonder if that makes a difference?
I don’t use the dryer ever because electricity here in South Africa is so expensive. So I hang all clothes, either outside or indoors.
Uh oh! I hope it’s not too late for my boobs, I’ve been throwing mine in the dryer from day one =/
I’ve been letting my Champion gear hang dry to make sure it stays nice. Such a pain but worth it.
I never ever put any of my workout clothes in the dryer. I put them all in the normal washer, but hang everything dry to keep the tech fabric from breaking down.
Hi Monica! It’s rare that I start a comment by saying this, but I’m Chinese. most Chinese people I know don’t ever use the dryer for their laundry out of habit. Once we moved to North America and got a dryer, I tried it a couple of times before I decided that I hate it and much prefer the scent of naturally dried laundry. Plus, the dryer usually takes forever and without fail, it always shrinks my clothes. On sunny days, you can leave the laundry in a discreet place in the backyard and it’ll dry in a matter of hours. In the cold Toronto winters, I have a laundry rack from Walmart – the clothes will usually dry in about 24 hours. Plus, you live in California, so the heat and the sunshine would help the clothes dry way faster! so definitely hang dry all the way 🙂
Thanks Jackie 🙂
~Shaking head~ Seriously? I never dry anything in the dryer unless I don’t plan on wearing it again..ever. They always shrink on me (shirts, skirts, etc) and I’ve always hung my bras up. Moving on…what’s your fav. sports bra ever? I’m very large busted and still nursing a child so I need mega support. Moving Comfort is my fav.
The Champion one I pictured has great support! Tina from FFF is weaning off breast feeding and says it works well too!
I always intend to hang up my technical clothing but get lazy or forget. I not only usually dry my sports bras but then keep them for years and years and years. Which is saying something considering how much I run. I guess its just good that I am really flat chested and don’t have to worry about them retaining their support as much.
I hang all my exercise clothes, unless they’re those last-resort ones I only reach for when I’m completely backed up with laundry. It makes them last sooooo much longer! And I read not to use any fabric softener with exercise clothes either. A drag to have to hang everything, but surely saves money!
I don’t even buy fabric softener anymore because all my stuff is running gear 🙂
I always throw all my gear in the dryer. I do not even think about it. Maybe I will start to hang my stuff to dry but I probably won’t ;] Like I said I do not even give it a thought.
I have two sports bras. One I have had for 3.5 years. I think I might need to invest in more…
Love your blog name 🙂
I sometimes hand wash, but ALWAYS line dry.
If I put them in the washer, I put them in a zip-up lingerie bag. You can get one for under $2 at Wal Mart. My daughters and I each have our own and I’ll throw them in together on the weekend and run a load of delicates.
Not only do you ruin the wicking in the dryer, you also ruin the elastic! That’s why they say to replace bras so frequently – the elasticity breaks down.
Here’s more info I’ve written about sports bras: http://www.intimateguide.com/articles/why-you-need-sports-bra/
I hang a lot of my workout gear to dry except the cotton stuff. I also make sure there is no velcro in the washing machine to prevent snags and what not. I must admit that I take way better care of stuff now than I did a few years ago and I can tell the difference 🙂
I am tragic about forgetting to take velcro stuff out and snagging stuff 🙁
I really should take better care of my sports bras… I just throw everything in the washer and the dryer.
Yikes..not only do I not hang dry ANYTHING, I throw all my clothes (whites and colors alike) in the wash/dryer together. I am a bad laundress! 🙂
I think you just invented a word, Ms. Laundress 🙂
OMG, I’m so glad I read this. No wonder there isn’t enough glide in the world to prevent a couple of my VERY old sports bras from being uncomfortable!!! I hang dry just about everything. I have a phobia of shrinkage and I feel like it makes my laundry routine go by faster. Instead of folding everything, I let it air dry then pull it off the rack when I need it.
I always hang up my sports bras and workout shirts. They definitely last longer. But I use fabric softener in the wash, which I know doesn’t help. I wash them with my other clothes and I don’t want to have to do two loads, especially since my workout clothes aren’t a full load.
Funny you bring this up today! I was thinking this morning how quickly I run out of sports bras during the week… we have to go to a laundry mat (boooooooooo) so we do laundry like once or twice a week. I typically wash my sports bras then hang dry them but I am thinking it is time to start hand washing them rather than continuously buying more so I don;t run out! haha
Ooops. I had no idea you weren’t supposed to dry them. Thankfully more than half my stuff is just from Target, nothing fancy.
Yeah, the Champion stuff is the fanciest bras I have! I think that’s part of the reason I don’t take better care of it. I have to start now!
I think handwashing clothes is one of the worst chores…second only to ironing. I throw mine in the washer but in a lingerie net bag. I’ve started to hang them to dry though, unless I need one right away…
The only thing I put in the dryer are sheets & towels. I’m a big believer in this handy tool: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50095091
I’ve always hung up the items that I don’t ruined with a lot of heat – like shrinking or snags/holes. My sport bras are tight enough as it is and I don’t need them made tighter by shrinkage from the dryer, and because of running and general exercise, I need my ta-ta’s contained, so snags and holes are not welcomed either.
Some say that the heat damages, so you hang dry, and then some say to dry our work out gear because the heat will kill any additional germs from sweat – so whos right or wrong?
Either way, I prefer to hang dry my wick’y gear, because besides the damage, I just see no point in putting it in the dry when wick’y gear probably takes all of 15 minutes to dry, it’s a waste.
Also, to be honest, there is nothing more refreshing than pulling on a cold/wet bra or running pants when they just came out of the wash 🙂
AND, I’m a sweaty mess and torture my gear enough as it is by sometimes wearing the same gear up to 3 times before it gets washed, so I treat them with as much TLC as possible 🙂
I think you would have to dry at a really high temperature to kill any germs and that’s a big no-no with stretchy things!
I always just do a load of all my sporty, wicking gear and then hang it on a drying rack. Besides maintaining the quality of the garment, I always figure it saves money and helps the environment to do one less load of drying! Oh, I also think it just makes sense to hang dry this stuff…I mean they are meant to dry FAST right? And they do, I can hang this stuff at 9pm and they are dry by 6am in the morning.
This is similar to the drying rack I have and it’s only $20: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=13624755
Wow! I’ve been an athlete my entire life and NEVER knew that! I’m going to stop putting them in the dryer from now on. Thanks for the tip. 🙂
I hang dry any sweat wick-ing clothing-including my socks! Not necessarily for the support aspect (like I really need it), but to help them keep their sweat wick-ing abilities.
Even your socks?! You are better than me 🙂
In all fairness I only have two pairs of wick-ing soaks, and only wear them about once a week 🙂
You should also hang-dry anything and everything stretchy – the heat and tugging of the dryer break down the special (usually synthetic) fibers that allow your clothes to stretch, which leads to saggy, baggy clothes. I hang-dry all of my running clothes, including my special running socks, and my six year-old pants and shirts look and feel brand new even though I wash them at least once a week. I also wash everything stretchy in cold water, on the gentle cycle, and it gets plenty clean; the hot water and lots of spin cycles can also cause stretchy fabrics to deteriorate.
(The only con here is that you don’t get to go shopping as often because nothing wears out, unless you are actually going to follow the crazy recommendation to get new sports bras twice a year…who does that?!)
Oops, I’ve been putting my sports bras in the dryer for ever. And I definitely have some that are more than 6 months old. Good think I just stocked up on a couple new ones 🙂
I do wash them without Downy, because I know that takes away from the wicking capabilities but going to have to try the no dry thing.
I think it’s just easier to hang my stuff! I have so much of it.. and screw the 6-8 month rule!! I think the stuff holds its shape better if you hang it to dry. Just throw it over a doorknob!
I use a door knob for other bras 🙂
I love when I leave bras drying on door knobs all over the house and they stay there for days… My poor bf. Actually I’ll bet he likes it!! Ha!
Gees, after reading this, it’s a miracle mine are even still intact. God knows they must not be doing anything. I keep them forever (not really) and wash and dry them all the time!
I dry all my bras flat (sport or no). If you are going to hang-dry use a pants hanger and clip the band of the bra so it dries upside down. I was told in a lingerie shop that you should never hang dry by the bra straps because the wet fabric will stretch out the bands and lessen the life of the bra.
I try and pull all my gym clothes and wicking material out before shoving stuff in the dryer, but sometimes they go in the dryer anyway. The more expensive the item – the more effort I’ll put into trying to save it. 😉
Oh wow…my sports bras are mostly cheap ones from K-mart…haha!
But the few nice ones I have I put in the wash only on cold/gentle with my hang-up clothes and they air dry 🙂
I am 26 and I still wear my first sports bra from when I was 9…. I work out 365 days a year…. Hmmm I suppose I’m overdue! Bet no one can beat 17 years of weekly wear with a bra! Go 32A’s!
Follow up to say that I think the rule of hanging dry to ALL quick wick sports clothes. I hang all my stuff up. My house is a mess…workout tops, bras, pants and skirts drying anywhere there is space!
I don’t hand wash, but I do hang dry, mostly because I bought my favorite sports bra from lululemon and it was $$$$ so I’m trying to make sure it sticks around a while!
I don’t know why I first read that as you don’t wash your hands…
LOL yes, I do wash my hands! I don’t hand-wash my sports bras! Geesh! hahah
I hang dry all my sports bras. Even the ones that are 6-8 YEARS old. Yep. Oops. 🙂
Wow, that’s crazy! I wear the same sports bras that I’ve had since college, and I send them through the dryer after every wear. The only thing I hang to dry are my bike and tri shorts. Thanks for the tips!
HA! I just laughed out loud….I own the same sports bras that I ran high school cross country in. (That’s saying alot about how much I’ve “grown” in the last 11 years). And I never air dry them. I need major help!
I had no idea! I’m going to start hang drying mine, too!
I always hang up my sports after washing them, because I had read that information before. I also hang up my workout shirts and most of my jeans!
I am going to start now! 😉
BTW which Champion sports bra is that one pictured? I really like it!
I love that bra too! I did a short review of it here:
https://runeatrepeat.com/2011/09/02/champion-sports-bra/